P1 Connection October 2023

OCTOBER 2023

P1 C NNECTION

Associate Newsletter

P1 Manpower Juggles a Constantly Changing Landscape If you think there’s any such thing as a typical day for our manpower team, think again!

Between frequent changes occurring within specific jobs and shortages in the union halls, today’s construction landscape creates daily challenges for manpower – and our coordinators know they have to be able to turn on a dime to make it all work.

Manpower Coordinator Robb Eder says that, in a nutshell, manpower is responsible for all the moving parts that comprise staffing P1’s construction jobs.

“It’s moving guys from job to job, hiring, lay-offs, payroll, and managing both union and HR issues,” he said.

Manpower Coordinator Assistant Emily Barber notes there’s really no telling what the day could bring, and team communication is imperative.

“The manpower coordinators never know what may be coming due to constant unknowns that happen from crew to crew, so daily communication among our team and with the field is critical,” Emily said.

Millwright Manpower Coordinator and Project Engineer Wes Trammell

notes that the role also means being a mediator between office and field personnel, and sometimes field and field personnel.

When personnel issues arise, Electrical Manpower Lead Riston Breiner says manpower may not handle them directly, but will have to act as a liaison between the employee and HR or whatever department will ultimately handle the issue.

Robb says the manpower roles have grown to cover all mechanical trades, as well as electrical 

"The manpower coordinators never know what's coming due to constant unknowns in the field, so daily communication among our team and with the field is critical."

-Emily Barber

and millwright, because having someone looking at the big picture and ensuring communication across personnel is critical.

“I love hiring apprentices. I get to interview the new ones from Local 8 and 533, and you can see how excited they are to start their career.”

-Robb Eder

“Project managers and foremen are too busy to handle those responsibilities,” Robb said.

“We’re the intermediary between field, office, and all the different departments, like VDC, warehouse, fabrication, etc.”

It’s no secret that manpower shortages are at an all-time high across the industry – and this poses a particular challenge for P1 manpower coordinators.

When a project manager asks for a team for a specific project, manpower collects info on the project size and starts figuring out who will best fit the team.

But a lot of moving factors can influence that decision, including shortages. Spreading everyone equally is hard, but something Robb says manpower tries to do.

“We sometimes have the same guy assigned to multiple projects,” Robb said. “You start to guess based on how likely we are to win and perform the job, when it will hit, and what strengths certain foreman and other field personnel have for the job at hand - and do your best to assign the right people.”

“We try to switch guys from job to job,” Riston said. “But if we do need additional manpower, we get in contact with the union halls to get more apprentices and journeymen.”

He notes that on the electrical side, some halls have enough, and some have far less.

“It also depends where the jobs are,” he said. “Jobs in more remote locations may have fewer resources in the union hall, and therefore may be harder to fill.”

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Wes says Millwrights look closely at strengths and abilities when assigning manpower, since their projects tend to be more specialized.

He also notes something many of the manpower coordinators try to do: give newer field associates the chance to work with the seasoned ones so they can learn on the job.

“We try to put less experienced foremen with the experienced foremen to be better prepared for inevitable transitions, like retirement and personnel changes,” Wes said.

Robb says meeting the new talent is the most rewarding part of the job.

“I love hiring apprentices,” he said. “I get to interview the new ones from Local 8 and 533, and you can see how excited they are to start their career.”

On the flip side, Wes and Robb agree laying anyone off is the worst part of the job.

“Those are sleepless nights for me,” Robb said.

Riston says that, for him, juggling constantly changing plans is the most challenging aspect of the job.

“The planning is one of the hardest parts of the job,” Riston said.

“Especially when there will always

"For me, it's the reactionary nature of the job that keeps it interesting.

It’s constant change, and you have to be ready.”

-Wes Trammell

be emergencies and unforeseen circumstances that can bring your plans to a halt.”

But Riston says on those occasions when everything comes together, and everyone has a job, it’s a rewarding endeavor. 

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Wes says the reactionary nature of the job keeps it interesting. “I could be getting ready to do a lay off Wednesday, for Friday, and then Thursday I’m turning around and hiring 10. It’s constant change.”

Despite what’s coming, Robb says he has complete faith in the talent at P1. “We have some of the most talented field in the industry – I have no fear that our people can meet today’s needs and those of the future.”

Shawn and Riston say hearing the good news from the field – from a GC, owner, or customer – about how well our field associates are doing, is always a point of pride.

"Unfortunately people don’t report the good news as often as it might happen, but when you hear it, it reinforces what we already know about our manpower talent.”

-Riston Breiner

“Although electrical manpower shortages haven’t typically been a problem, they probably will in the near future with all the work coming down the pike.”

“Whether it’s schedule changes, lack of work, extra hands,to jobsite emergencies, being part of Manpower definitely makes every day a challenge - and different - but that’s why I enjoy the work,” Emily added.

-Shawn Norris

Shawn Norris recently moved from manpower into a field superintendent role, and has turned the reins over to Riston.

“Although electrical manpower shortages haven’t typically been a problem, we foresee that they will in the near future with all the work coming down the pike,” Shawn said.

“We are busier than I’ve ever seen it in my 28 years here,” Robb said.

“These are somewhat unprecedented times.”

Manpowe

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“Unfortunately people don’t report the good news as often as it probably happens, but when you hear it, it reinforces what we already know about our manpower talent,” Riston said.

One truth is universal for Manpower: There’s never a time they aren’t busy. Even when construction is slow, they still have to find work for everyone. Keeping our field employed and busy is the mission, and manpower never stops working to make it happen. 

Manpowe

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P1 Service Coordinator Josie Vestal has always had a close-knit family and says she enjoys the fun and personal relationships that go along with that.

She talked with Project Coordinator Laura Adkins, who explained more about what the position entailed.

Josie grew up in Tonganoxie, KS, and began her career right after high school as a chiropractic assistant in Lee’s Summit, MO.

“I thought it sounded like something I would enjoy, and my dad had such good things to say about P1, so I decided to apply,” Josie said.

“Coming straight out of high school, this position gave me a great start and a good deal of experience with customer service - specifically learning how to talk with people I didn’t know on a day-to-day basis,” Josie said.

Josie has now been with P1 more than two years.

“I also learned how keep the appointment schedule and develop a rapport with the patients.”

After a few years, Josie wanted something a little more challenging.

“My dad works for P1 Construction in the Architectural Metal shop, and he mentioned that P1 had a job posting for a Service Coordinator,” she said.

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“I thought that might be good for me.”

Although she was not particularly seeking a “family” atmosphere at work, it came as an added bonus when she joined the Service team at P1.

When she started, Josie said it was an adjustment.

“I didn’t know much about the HVAC industry, and the pace of the job was much faster than what I was used to,” she said.

Due to the nature of P1 Service and getting techs to multiple jobs that come up, things can change quickly and the schedule rarely stays the same – a big difference from her job at the chiropractor.

“You can have a schedule complete for the next day and an emergency call will come in and you have to reroute everything.” Josie said.

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Call Center Supervisor Jill Hollingsworth says Josie was a quick study.

“Josie’s customer service background gave her the foundation to know how to talk with customers and technicians,” Jill said. “Learning how to work with the other coordinators to solve scheduling issues was something she was able to grasp in a short amount of time. She has been a great addition to our team.”

Being part of the “team” is what Josie loves most about the job.

“The call center group is really amazing. I love coming to work knowing that I have a great team,” Josei said. “Even on the most stressful days, we work together to get the job done and still have fun in the process. We truly are like a big family.”

In her free time, Josie can often be seen with her two dogs Izzy, a14-year-old Lhasa Long-haired Dachshund and Millie, a one-year-old Cowboy Corgi/Blue Heeler-Corgi mix). 

Josie’s dad, Bobby Vestal, is the Shop Foreman at the Architectural Metal shop, and her sister, Kylee Vestal, has recently accepted the position of receptionist at the P1 Service Lenexa location.

Bobby has been with Architectural Metal and P1 for 20 years.

He started out doing residential heating and cooling until a friend directed him to join Sheet Metal Workers Local #2.

Bobby says he loves working at P1 because he constantly has new and challenging projects to work on and the owners really care about their employees.

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“I wouldn’t have wanted my daughters to work for P1 if I didn’t think it was a great company,” Bobby said. “And these opportunities opened up for them which happen to perfectly match their skill sets.”

Josie said she is excited to have Kylee join the P1 team as well.

“I’m sure working in the same building will strengthen our sister bond, but ultimately I hope that she loves working for P1 as much as I do,” Josie said.

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“I don’t do it for the recognition.”

“It was such an uncertain time, and we definitely had our share of bad news,” Todd said. “It seemed like we needed something to remind people of all the good things our associates do every day.”

But that doesn’t mean a “job well done” shouldn’t be recognized. Recognition of our fellow P1 associates’ work is more than an "attaboy" – it’s a way to connect employees across office and field.

This was especially true of the field. While office employees were sent to work at home for the better part of a year, the field had no such luxury.

For some of us, that’s true. The joy we get from doing our jobs comes from being someone else’s solution – and hopefully making their day better.

That is how the P1 Service GOOD NEWS emails came about. Service General Manager Todd Andrews says he started putting together the weekly communications in 2020 when COVID hit.

While our P1 Service associates tend to be modest and reluctant to tout their own success, Todd says it’s important to recognize a job well done.

Because of the critical nature of P1 Service's business, technicians went to work for various customers every day, braving possible illness and more complex working conditions as a result of the pandemic.

While the emails were intended to be temporary, they are still going out weekly to P1 Service personnel more than three years later. The communication have grown into a connector, showing the symbiotic relationship between office, field, and customer.

Todd notes that P1 is too big of an organization for everybody to know everything, with offices spreading out across the U.S. GOOD NEWS tries to bridge gaps where possible. “It’s the only way we have of spreading things people should be recognized for,” Todd added.

Just putting the emails together comes with challenges too. It’s difficult to get information exactly right, or sometimes only partial information is received, and there’s 

If you are P1 Service, share your GOOD NEWS by emailing tandrews@p1-service.com.

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always the chance someone or something will unintentionally be left out.

The other challenge is actually getting the news – people either don’t remember or are hesitant to share what they’re doing.

Todd says some of the service managers and service coordinators are great about passing things along, but he’d like to have more direct communication from the field and other office personnel.

“It’s not about a big story - it’s just about the every day way our associates take care of each other and our customers – that’s what we want to share,” Todd said.

Since the GOOD NEWS emails have been well-received, Todd hopes they live on, even when he eventually passes the ownership of these emails to someone else.

However, without your “news” they will cease to exist, and that would be too bad.

There is no item too small for consideration. Although P1 Service associates may enjoy what seems like a robust GOOD NEWS email every week, it can be a real struggle to put these together if people don’t take a minute to send information, even if it’s just a sentence or two about every-day good work. 

If you are P1 Service, share your GOOD NEWS by emailing tandrews@p1-service.com 7

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EMERGENCY The weather doesn’t cooperate, systems break down, and emergencies arise - and they don’t always do it conveniently between the hours of 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.

According to Electrical Service Division Manager Chris Carr, ETM technicians step may step in to take care of customers who are generally serviced by electrical service technicians.

Therefore, the technicians and experts at P1 Service must handle multiple emergencies and take care customer needs 24/7/365.

“We have two goals,” Chris explained. “The first is ‘solving for yes’, and the second is providing ‘service with velocity’ to our customers. This means acting quickly toward a solution. Having this mindset helps the team get our customers taken care of even when an easy solution is not present.”

Crews have to respond to calls at all hours all days of the week.

It takes teamwork, hard work, and above all, dedication to providing excellent service to P1 customers – no matter what.

We asked some of our experts how they handle the unexpected.

Despite being two different divisions, the ETM technicians and service electricians often band together to handle multiple emergency services after hours and over the weekend.

Both extreme heat and extreme cold most certainly impact the volume of service calls.

“While weather can impact decisions for calls coming in, we take our jobs on a case-by-case basis and consider many different variables in determining a job’s priority level,” Chris said. “We may have a call come in that requires immediate attention and five minutes later have to change course to accommodate a different customer if their situation is more urgent. It takes a full-on team effort!”

-Chris Carr 8

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The P1 Service Coordinators are a critical early part of the process, working as a team to determine how to get the right tech to the right emergency job in a quick-response situation.

Call Center Supervisor Jill Hollingsworth lines out the process for emergency weekend calls and after- hours work.

This includes knowing what skill sets are needed and which techs have those skills. Service and project managers assist with this at times, especially if coordinators are unsure if a certain tech has the capability to perform the job.

Then it is determined what other jobs are affected if a tech is moved.

Jill says weekend work is always challenging because most techs have been working in the extreme weather conditions, need a break, or already have plans. So, there is a more limited pool of techs from which to pull.

“The coordinators are constantly sharing information,” Jill said. “Once a request is received, the other coordinators are notified, and phone calls started taking place.”

“We basically start calling techs to see who may be available. If someone says they can run the call, then all the coordinators are notified verbally and/or by email to let them know the call is covered,” Jill added.

“When multi-trade jobs come in, the trades needed determine which coordinators get involved.”

Jill says the greatest challenges extreme weather presents for the service coordinator team is that all techs are running constantly.

“The coordinators have to balance the incoming emergency calls with the calls that are already being run,” she said. “Teamwork is critical at these times, as most of our techs are worn out and exhausted.”

-Jill Hollingsworth

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Emergency response can also come in the form of life safety situations, so it is essential for techs to respond fast.

call the main service number. “No matter how the call comes in, they are all handled the same way,” Brian said.

HVAC and Mechanical Division Manager Brian Holladay explains how extreme weather creates emergency situations and how they are prioritized.

“Extreme weather causes systems to work harder with increased strain, which in turn can lead to problems,” Brian said.

“Our first call would be to the technician assigned to that contract. They have intimate knowledge of the facility and can often times take care of the situation themselves. We also have several individuals that specialize in certain aspects of HVAC Service. These technicians can be called upon if the situation dictates they are needed.”

“We prioritize the incoming calls into three categories: Life Safety, PM Contract Customers, and Non-Contract Customers. The life safety and PM contract customers are put at the top of the list.”

“The P1 projects department can get involved in large projects that require extensive planning and resources. We are equipped to handle any emergency that comes our way.” Brian said.

“At P1 Service, we are fortunate that we have a whole service department full of competent technicians and office staff that can handle most situations quickly,” he said.

Brian says prioritization presents the greatest challenge.

Brian notes that emergency calls can come in from different sources.

Some customers prefer to contact the technician responsible for their facility directly, while others may call the service manager assigned to their account. Some

“We have an obligation to our PM contract customers, but we also have an obligation to customers with a situation that can affect the life or safety of individuals at their facility.”

“The prioritization of calls constantly changes as new emergencies arise," Brian said. Our service coordinators do a fantastic job of getting the right technician on the job in a timely manner, and our technicians work tirelessly to take care of the customer."

-Brian Holladay

General Manager of Service Todd Andrews believes 100% that our employees are well above average.

“P1 has an expectation of finding team members that will challenge the status quo. When we’re recruiting, we have a critical eye for talent, and a high expectation for who we want to include on our team,” Todd said.

“Once on board, associates are encouraged to speak their mind, bring ideas, and brainstorm improvements. This helps everyone improve.”

“There is also a culture here that encourages asking for help,” Todd said. “Multiple people at all levels of the company can provide a different perspective to solving a problem.”

In the end, it’s the customer-centric approach to service that makes P1 successful.

“Service team members from all trades and all departments have the customer in mind first and foremost. When an associate responds and deciphers that he or she needs specific help, Service team members will drop what they’re doing personally to pitch in however they can help best,” Todd explained.

It’s challenging, hard work – especially considering what goes into a single decision about a customer call. But making the customer a priority, supporting each other, and strong communication ensure P1 Service is prepared for any emergency that arises. 

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N E W FAC E S/ANNO UNCEMENTS Please join us in welcoming our newest P1 associates. KEY: (C) = P1 Construction, (S) = P1 Service

(C) Kyler True Project Engineer Lenexa

(S) Tammy Suddeth Payroll Director Lenexa

(S) Dallas Guthrie Project Engineer Lenexa

(S) Kylee Vestal Receptionist Lenexa

(S) Tiarra Wall Dispatch Service Coordinator Lenexa

(S) Anna Schnacker HR Coordinator Lenexa

(S) Bryce Tullis FMO Manager Lenexa

(S) Peter Winter IT Technician Lenexa

WHEN IS THE LAST TIME YOU UPDATED YOUR P1 HEADSHOT? If you need a new headshot, come up to Marketing or get in touch to schedule your new photo. If you are in an outside office and wish to send in a new headshot, please send photos to Tiffany Oldham, tiffany.oldham@p1group.com.

Please be sure to use a neutral background, remove hats, and provide a clear view from the chest up.

Details Coming Soon!

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BI RT H DAYS + ANNIVERSARIES Office and field associate birthdays and work anniversaries

OCTOBER BIRTHDAYS 1

RICHARD ANDERSON TYLER ECORD MIKE SHARKEY SANTIAGO SOTO JOEL COX JAIME FERNANDEZ DEVON ARNOLD CHRISTOPHER ZAHND WALLY BARBER DREW DEMPSEY ALEX AGUILAR COVY CONFER SCOTT DUNCAN MIKE MCCOY ANDREW MAREZ TAYLOR GREEN BILL BROWN LEE MENDOZA NICK WINGERTER ADAM CASTNER BEAU HOWERTON RACHEL TONEY DARRELL LEACH DANNY MCMAHILL SAL MORMINO RAY VAUGHAN EMILY BARBER DAVID CONNOLLY DUANE FERGUSON JASON KRUEGER RYAN TUCKER SIMCHA MOWERY JOSHUA BOULTON

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JAMIE DARR DAVE STROUD PAUL BLANK DON GOEBEL GAGE NITZSCHKE JOHN ROSS NICK BROWN MICHELLE OGLESBY ERIC MEIER TRACE STONE BOB SMITH DANIEL CHABOT JEREMI STRASSER TRAVIS EGGERS ROBERT BEACOM ANTONIO PROVENCIO ERIC GORDON JAMES ROSE DAVID LAMB BRIAN MAGALLON TINO MARTINEZ DAVID SOKOLOSKI ALLEN SUPPLEE DONAVIN HUSS TJ STEVENS STEPHEN BAYER LARRY BOLZ DOUGLAS KRAMER RANDY PARK CLIFFORD BLACKMORE JOSEPH TAFOYA KENT MCDONALD DEREK HATTOCK KEVIN RENNISON

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JACOB LEE JUSTIN SHRACK JAY THIESEN GERARDO PADILLA KERRY REDER GIOVANIE GOMEZ BRAD WENDT MATT SHANK DANAE SPRESSER SARAH GARCIA MIKE SEARS AUGUST WESSLING JAMES FIEGENBAUM JACOB VERNNON ROB ANDERSON NATHAN ALLEN BRIAN VAN BELKUM WILL EVERHART GREG SWEENEY AMELIA MULLIN RAY HANSULD MEGHAN SCOTT GARRETT PARKER NEAL PASCARETTI STEVEN HINSHAW GARRETT JENNINGS JOHN MARTIN DAVE OWENS AUSTIN WRIGHT BRAYAN CASTILLO MARURE TADD TAYLOR

WORK ANNIVERSARIES 5 YEARS: JACOB BARTOW, TREVOR BURNS, BRENT CLINGINGSMITH, ABE MARTINEZ, ALEXANDER WILDER 10 YEARS: CODY MCCRAY, JASON ONDRISKO, JOHN ROTTERMAN 15 YEARS: KRISTI BERGLUND, BILL SLAVIN 12

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KENNY BEARCE PHIL NEHRING JEFF PETERSON AUSTIN HARPER JOSEPH WATTS ALLEN HULETT BRAD HEERLEIN WES HANSULD TAMMI KENT TIMOTHY BROPHY THERON HAMLEN ARTHUR CHIDESTER VICTOR GARCIA TAYLOR CLOUSE STEVE FARVE RYAN BOWDEN JUSTIN LEWIS CHRIS STAPLES EASTON SOMMER ERIC BELTRAN JOSEPH EGGERS PRESTON MARTIN

HAPPENINGS

 FOOTBALL SEASON HAS BEGUN! The P1 offices celebrated the kick-off of football with food, fun and our favorite team colors.

P1 SHARP SHOOTERS: Justin Underwood, Bret Faris, Mark McGrath, Jason Larsen and Nick Lawless attended SMACNA-KC's Annual Sporting Clay Shoot on September 20, bringing home the third-place trophy.

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The P1 Safety Department recently revamped the Safety Checklist, a valuable resource used by foreman and field associates to track Safety practices and progress every day.

4. SAFETY SLOGANS: Contains reminders like “20x20x20” (every 20 minutes, look 20 feet around you for 20 seconds), “What is Your Why”, and “Never Lose Hope”

The primary directive at the top of the sheet is “Stop. Observe. Implement” (SOI). This reminds everyone to keep Safety top-of-mind throughout the day. Some of the benefits the checklist offers are:

5. P1 CORE RIGHTS AND RESPONSIBILITIES: A handy reference is available on the Safety Checklist.

1. HANDS-ON COMMITMENT: Everyone on the crew signs it, every day.

2. EASILY ACCESSIBLE: The tri-fold document easily goes with you everywhere.

3. ADAPTABLE: It can be reviewed after lunch and changes can be made anytime, by anyone, throughout the day.

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Electrical Apprentice Josh Herbert says the SOI is very helpful after the weekend. “The SOI helps refresh me on what we were doing after weekends and three-day weekends.”

Be sure you are using the Safety Checklist (SOI) daily! Questions? Contact any of the P1 Safety Team at the numbers listed on the back of the checklist.